The present invention relates generally to the field of metal building components and, in particular, to a new and useful metal wall stud.
Buildings have long been constructed of structural framing systems. Wood has long been the material of choice for the components of these systems. In recent times, however, steel and other metal structural components have been created to replace the wood framing components in most commercial and some residential construction. Thus, the erecting of interior partitions within buildings to divide the interior space into smaller sections or areas is commonly completed by erecting a framework of metal studs.
The inventor of the subject application has invented or co-invented various improvements in the field including U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,505 for Metal Stud Arrangement; U.S. Pat. No. 7,383,665 for Header Arrangement; U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,970 for Metal Building Construction; U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,140 for Structural Metal Member for Use in a Roof Truss or a Floor Joist; U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,552 for Structural Metal Framing Member; U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,550 for Metal Structural Member; U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,679 for Deflection Slide Clip; U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,018 for Deflection Slide Clip; U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,131 for Joist Hanger; U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,571 for Deflection Slide Clip; U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,538 for Floor Joist with Built-in Truss-like Stiffner; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,955 for Adjustable Sill Plate Assembly.
Published Patent Application Serial No. U.S. 2006/0075715 discloses a structural framing system and components thereof that includes at least one first framing component having upper and lower flange elements separated by a web element having a depth measured between the upper and lower flange elements, the upper and lower flange elements having upper and lower positioning dimples spaced therealong. The dimples protrude in such manner that a distance between the upper and lower dimples is less than the depth of the web.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,349 discloses an elongate structural member that can be used as a wall stud, and that has a substantially uniform material gauge, at least one web element and at least one flange element. The flange element has a plurality of corrugations as stiffeners in the longitudinal direction of the member. The corrugations are equally spaced and are formed at least in the flange element, with no corrugations being located in a longitudinal direction at, adjacent to, a centerline of a web element.
Also known from The Steel Network, Inc., are heavy gage metal (e.g. 33 to 118 mils or thousandths of an inch) supporting wall members called the STIFFWALL and SIGMASTUD members, that each have a 90 degree skirt at the edge of a flange lip. See http://www.steelnetwork.com/SigmaStud.aspx and http://www.steelnetwork.com/StiffWall.aspx?link_id=2, for example.
Some of the structural members described above provide reasonable support but, at an increased thickness. Others have a reduced thickness, but do not provide adequate support.
A need remains, therefore, for a non load-bearing metal wall stud with increased strength but reduced metal weight. The increased strength referred to is deflection on the flange of the stud. By increasing the strength of the flange the invention will allow the stud to achieve a greater height without increasing the gauge of the steel. Some manufactures increase the Ksi (thousand pound per square inch of tensile strength) of the steel to increase the ability of the stud to achieve greater heights, but using a higher Ksi steel, for example 50 Ksi, makes the installation of self taping screws that are commonly used to attach wall board to the studs, more difficult. By stiffening the lip of the stud the invention achieves a greater stud height without the use of high Ksi grade steel.